More than 200,000 families a month are getting help with mortgage interest or free Government funded advice from their local council, according to the Housing Minister John Healey. He revealed the figures as he announced a doubling of funding for free, legal advice in courts.

Wheelie bins have led to a dramatic increase in recycling rates according to a survey by the Local Government Association. The figures from a snap poll showed that in one case a council had seen the amount of material recycled rise from four per cent to 38 per cent and in another case it went from 19 to 60 per cent.

This report from the Cabinet Office describes progress made in joining up services to reduce wasteful duplication, encouraging more professional project delivery through better staff skills and securing more effective programme monitoring.